WenDip: Rethink Everything
by Pinkie The Mouse
Summary: Chapter NINE now up! I think this may be the end. Sorry for the long times between posting. Thanks for sticking by me the past year! After "The Inconveniencing" episode, Wendy wonders if her mother is a ghost. Can Dipper help her find her mom?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - Rethink Everything

It hadn't started being about Dipper. She had started by rethinking everything else. Which led to every_one_ else.

Wendy took off her fur lined hat and set it on top of one of the bedpost logs, took off her boots, and then lay back on her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She was so blown away by the sheer fact that ghosts were real. She could still see them floating as if she were once again in the abandoned convenience store, their blue evanescence emanating some strange ethereal power. But now the implications…Wendy was brave, but the implication of afterlife led her to a place in her heart that had been shut for a long time. Shut because time heals all wounds but also shut…to seal off the pain. Biting her lower lip she rolled over onto her side, placing her hands together under the side of her face in the pillow, and with courage, stared at the wall nearest her bed. The wall where a picture hung, a photo yellowed by age.

A picture of her late mother.

Her mother, with short brunette hair and brown eyes, pregnant with her youngest brother Josh, holding three year old brother Jay, and with seven year old Wendy holding the hand of her five year old brother John.

_Are you…a ghost too? _

The implication was strong. She had seen with her own eyes that there was life after death. The store ghosts remembered _their_ past lives. Her face slowly frowned, eyes and eyebrows sad.

_If you are ghost, then why haven't you come and seen me mom? _

The ghosts in the store were affectionate with each other, even holding hands and rubbing noses_. Love survives death._

_Don't you love me mom? _

Now the memories came ripping through the scar as Wendy pursed her lips together, fighting back tears. Instantly she could see herself eight years ago:

There she was, herself in the front seat of the truck next to the door as they drove home from the hospital, holding her newborn baby brother Joshua, her other brothers next to her in between her father and her. Even at seven she knew how to hold her baby brother, to coo to him softly, kissing his forehead now and then, telling him it will be OK, that even though mommy died in childbirth, Wendy was here to take care of him, rocking him and patting his back holding him close to her face. She could still see the tears running down her father's cheeks as he drove them home, the only time she ever saw him cry.

As she grew older she learned to dismiss the resentment she sublimated, the resentment of her brother Josh. _If it wasn't for you she would still be alive today! Why did you have to be born?_

There was no time for resentment as Wendy took care of Joshua and her brothers. She became their mom, the only mother they ever knew as they were so young when she died. Only John barely remembered her. And because of the pain it caused their father they never mentioned her. Many diapers and dishes later Wendy was the matriarch of the family, what she said goes, her father telling them to "do what your big sister says…or else!". Wendy had to grow up fast. Without her mother.

"Are you a ghost mom?" Wendy lay on her back again looking up, looking somewhere beyond the ceiling, looking to…heaven?

"Why haven't you visited me mom? Where are you?"

Wendy thought back to the ghosts again: They died from heart attacks. Maybe they are ghosts because of…how they died? Unexpectedly?

Maybe mom…didn't have to be…a ghost. Maybe she didn't have any "unfinished business"?

"But what about me mom? We…we didn't finish!" And she slammed down her fists on both sides, punching the bed through blankets.

_I had to learn about becoming a woman by myself! Surrounded by boys, with no...no female role model, no older woman to look up to. Just an old picture and some earrings and bracelets from your jewelry box._

Now a few tears trickled down her cheeks and past her ears to her neck as she grimaced in pain, still looking for something in the ceiling…some sign.

"Mom?"

Nothing.

She turned onto her other side, away from the wall of pain, and reached for a tissue from her nightstand to sop up her tears. She sat up, and looked at the wall above her bed: photos of her and the crew, her and the twins, and her…and Dipper. She smiled, eyes still watering.

_Adorable little dork. Him and his attitude. He is so grown up for his age. My little man. _

The maternal instincts came back, as if he was another brother. _I've got to protect him, watch over him, but show him some fun too, show him the world._

She took the picture frame off the wall and held it in her lap. _But *you* showed *me* instead! Not only this world but the next!_

She ran a finger down the side of the picture frame. It was Dipper and her in the shack store, her behind the register, and Dipper sitting on the counter, both of them smiling and looking at each other, clinking a toast with cans of Pitt Cola.

_Thanks for showing me how it's done Dipper. You figured out those ghosts! No one else could think of anything but running away. But you were brave and smart under pressure! I hope I meet a guy like you some day, an older guy of course._

As she looked at the picture, she suddenly imagined the clock going forward: six years later when Dipper was eighteen, her twenty one.

_Meh, that doesn't sound so bad. But…heh! He will probably have some other girlfriend by then. And I…I may even be married? But nah, I don't want to get married that young. Maybe in my late twenties._

The thought kept coming back but she tried to push it down.

_I…I could wait for him._

_No. _

_Live life Corduroy! There are too many guys out there now that you don't have to wait for! Guys that have more than a …a twelve year old. Are you crazy? Ha! Waiting for a twelve year old to grow up. Riiiiiggghhhht. You dingbat._

She hung the picture frame back up on the wall and smiled. She realized her tears had stopped.

_He always makes me happy. And he wasn't even here!_

She turned to the picture of her mother, then looked back at the one of her and Dipper.

_Maybe…maybe you can help me find my mom Dipper. Or at least explain…why she hasn't seen me?_

She picked up her cell phone from the night stand.


	2. Chapter 2 Rethink Everything

Chapter 2

Dipper collapsed in the yellow plaid chair in The Shack, as Mabel slowly climbed upstairs.

"Ah, Shack sweet Shack! Dipper: I'm gonna take a looooong nap. DON'T wake me up, even for dinner!"

"Got it. I'll tell Stan."

"Thanks." And she closed the door to the upstairs bedroom.

Exhausted from the convenience store adventure Dipper was contemplating a nap right there in the chair when his phone chimed. His display showed a smiling Wendy. He sat up and answered.

"Hey Wendy! "

"Hey Dork. Got time to chat? _(snif)_"

"Uh… yeah. Everything OK? You sound like …"

"Yeah Dipper, I'm good, just…allergies man."

"Oh. Right." _She never had allergies before…the forest is a bad place to live if you have allergies._ "So, like, thanks again for taking Mabel and me to the store. I'll never forget _that! _Haha. Did you like…rethink everything? About the wall and stuff?"

It was quiet…seconds ticked by…

"Wendy? You still there?"

"_(snif)_ yeah man, sorry I…(cough). Maybe I'm coming down with something. Maybe…oh Dipper, can I…come back over? I really need to talk to you about something and it…well…it just isn't working out over the phone."

"Sure! Anytime Wendy? When?"

"Right now, OK?"

"Sure."

"Kay man. See you in a few."

_The gang better not have made fun of her for…for sticking up for me. What if…what if they found out about the Lamby Dance? What if they made her tell the truth?_ Dipper's ears began turning red.

_If she had to tell them the truth well…that's OK. I …can live with that…I don't want her to feel bad just because of my stupid dance. After all, I was the one who saved everybody. They gotta respect that at least! So what if I …was dressed up…like…a…_

He sank deeper into the chair, hands in his shorts pockets, his hat pushed up in the rear by the chair back as he slid down further and further until his cap hid his eyes. He was thinking the worst.

…

The door knocked. Dipper woke up and jumped out of the chair. "Wendy!"

He ran to the door and opened it with a smile. Then he stopped smiling.

"Hey dork."

Wendy's eyes were red, dark bags under her eyelids making her look tired and worn out. She had obviously been crying.

"Wendy! What's wrong?" He grasped her hand softly and gently pulled her outside. "Let's talk out here where no one can hear." She nodded but said nothing, only sniffling as she followed Dipper out back behind The Shack, to his "thinking place", a clearing in the forest behind the shack with a large rock where he would sit when he wanted privacy without Mabel, or anyone else.

He sat on the boulder and then patted a place next to him.

_Adorable little man. Taking charge when he knows I am not…not doing so good._

Dipper still held her hand even as they sat. Wendy wiped her eyes with her other hand, and then leaned back on the rock, looking up at the sky. Dipper leaned back too, folding his arms behind his head, while Wendy held her hands together over her tummy.

"_(snif)_ Dipper, I need your help man."

"Anything Wendy. What? What kind of…help? Did someone hurt you? Are you in trouble? Did the ghosts come back?"

"No!" she sat up suddenly. "I wish they WOULD come back! I mean, She. I wish SHE would come back." She punched her open left hand with her right fist.

"You…you do? Why?"

Then she slowly turned to Dipper and her face softened. "Not those ghosts. There is another ghost…well…I think she's a ghost…I need her to come back." She looked down at the rock she sat on.

Dipper watched her carefully. Suddenly it made sense_. I never knew where her mom was, and I never cared enough to ask…so freaking busy trying to get her to like me, that I never…_He closed his eyes and then opened them, looking at her, letting his expression show that all he cared about was listening to her._ I assumed it was because no one could possibly stand living with her dad. Anyone would leave him. But now, she says a ghost, calling it She…could it be…_

Wendy looked up at him, determination in her face.

"Dipper, I need you to help me find my mom."

He swallowed. _Of course. _It makes sense. _And if I can do this…but… what if I can't? _

"Of course Wendy. But…I need to know about her. I need you to tell me about her. Unless it makes you, you know…we don't have to talk right now, whenever you're ready…"

"I'm ready now Dipper. And thanks. Thanks a lot." She squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.

She let go of his hand and then lay back down, looking up at the sky.

"I don't even know if she _is_ a ghost. I kinda hope she is, 'cause I got a million question I need to ask her about, you know?"

"Yeah. How…how did she…uh…"

The red head sniffed, and then wiped her nose with her arm, and then relaxed back down again, facing up with her eyes closed.

"She died when Josh was born. She had been hemorrhaging while still in early contractions, and the bleeding was internal so they didn't know for hours until it was too late and well, the blood bank was too far away, and…" her voice cracked on the last word. She stopped and sniffed again, and now Dipper could see the tears trailing away from her eyes, to drip onto the hard granite stone. He touched the wet spot on the stone and rubbed his fingers together.

"Sorry I had to ask Wendy." He gently touched her shoulder. "Where…where exactly was it?"

"At the old hospital on Badger Road."

"The old…that's a convalescent home now."

"Yeah, that's the place. The hospital moved to where it is now, in Valley."

"Wendy…"

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever…seen or heard anything that may have been your mother…since then? Any…phenomena? "

"_No!_ That is why I need your help! Why would she just…_die_? Die and never …never come back…and…" now she whispered. "…never come back to _talk_ to me?" She coughed. "Damn post nasal drip!" She wiped her eyes.

Dipper now knew his challenge_. I've got to help her find her mom! But…where and how…_

He sat up, and placed his hand gently on top of hers.

"I'll help you Wendy. Somehow I'll find a way."

"Thanks Dipper." She wiped her nose with her sleeve again. "I know it's a lot to ask, but…I want you to know it's OK if you don't find…anything. I am asking the impossible, I know."

"I'll try my best Wendy."

She smiled at him and then she leaned towards him and hugged him. _Close_. Dipper could feel her warmth, and her softness. He blushed.

"Come on, let's go the old folks home."

…

Badger Retirement Home was home not only to indigenous Gravity Falls residents, but to many who came from neighboring counties. Still, most of the old hospital building was empty, especially the operating rooms which could not be converted to "apartments" like the offices and other areas. The visitor entrance to the large sprawling concrete complex was guarded by a large middle aged woman in a white nursing uniform with short brunette hair under a nurses cap. She looked up from behind the desk.

"Hello young man, who are you here to visit?"

"Oh, uh, sorry, I am just…"

Wendy spoke up.

"We're researching retirement homes for his great Uncle!"

"Oh uh, yeah! My Grunkle Stan. Not for right away, but just, you know, in case."

"Stan …Pines? Well it's about time! I think he should have been put to pasture a long time ago." (Gravity Falls is a small town, almost everyone knows everyone else!)

Wendy and Dipper smiled at each other and nodded.

"Yeah, so…can you show us around? So we can get a feel for the place?"

"Of course." The nurse opened a drawer and grabbed a large key ring with many keys. "Follow me."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

As they followed the nurse down the hallway Wendy knew this was the same place, but…the sterile white walls had been repainted with gay colors, yellows and springtime greens and light browns, sky blues and…_oh crap. Why? Clown paintings? Seriously?_

She cringed as the Nurse spoke.

"Now here is our showcase room. Normally it would be personalized with pictures of the kids and grand kids, bowling trophy's and whatnot, but it still gives you an idea of the open and airy setting that anyone can enjoy, no matter what age…" Dipper interrupted her.

"Excuse me, but uh…can you show us where…the maternity ward use to be?"

The nurse was taken aback. "Why, what do you mean young man?"

Wendy picked up on his train of thought.

"Uh yeah, the maternity ward. We know this used to be a hospital and we uh…we need plenty of space for his Grunkle Stan, so we were hoping that it was converted too. He has lots of hobbies."

The nurse raised an eyebrow. "Well, we didn't. It is…off limits. That part of the hospital was deemed…unsafe. Unsafe for the elderly I mean. No visits there. Sorry."

And the nurse then turned to the left at a hallway intersection. As Wendy looked to the left and then to the right of the intersecting hallway a cold wave of goosebumps shocked her skin to her bones. She froze.

Suddenly she flash backed eight long years…

_Running next to the stretcher, holding her mother's hand as the paramedics wheeled her down the hall to the maternity ward. Her father asking Why does she look so pale? Mother? Mother? Father telling her to stay with her brothers outside the room. Another nurse walking her back to the waiting room…Mother? The nurse keeping her in the waiting room when she tried to leave…the… NURSE._

"Wait!" Wendy made them stop. She had a way with her commanding voice, picked up after years of ordering her brothers around. The nurse and Dipper waited. Wendy walked up to the nurse and stared.

Now the nurse began to look nervous again. "Young lady, are you…".

"It was _YOU_."

"Me? What? What are you talking about?"

_Of course she won't remember. Of course_…Wendy softened her face. She looked down and shut her eyes, and forced herself to regain composure, to regain control in the present. She looked back up and smiled.

"Do you know if…it was _this_ way? It was, wasn't it? To the right?"

Now the nurse relaxed a little, her eyelids narrowing.

"Young lady, we are NOT going that way! It is off limits! Why, I could get fired for taking you there!"

Wendy glanced at Dipper and he nodded.

"OK ma'am, we understand. Thanks for the tour. Can you show us the cafeteria now?"

The nurse looked relieved. "Certainly. Come this way."

Wendy looked once more down the forbidden hallway, memorizing every corner, every door, and remembering…

…

Dipper and Wendy left the entrance with a guest home brochure, and a plan. Dipper's brows were furrowed in thought as they walked away.

"She must have wanted to keep people away from there for a reason. Maybe…like the store…"

"I _know_ where it is now Dipper. The maternity ward. It was on the East side of the hospital. There was a separate door on that side from the main emergency entrance where the new mothers would be pushed in wheelchairs to their cars."

Dipper nodded as he and Wendy glanced back at the entrance. He spoke as he turned to face forward.

"Keep going. She is still watching us."

Wendy nodded. "Let's come back on the other side."

"Wendy, we should come back later, when we work out the details…"

Wendy growled but kept walking. "I want to go back NOW."

"Wendy, if they find out we want to poke around there they will be on their guard. We only have one chance to catch them by surprise. Besides, if they are around when we are too then… well…we may not find what we're looking for."

"What _are_ we looking for Dipper?"

"I don't know exactly but…some kind of…sign. A clue that maybe…your mom is…" He looked up and cringed as he said it, not wanting to hurt her feelings.  
"is…haunting…the place."

Wendy turned suddenly, long red hair whipping behind her and looked at him, with worried eyebrows. Then she looked down at the ground. Then she grinned. She looked back to him.

"It's a chance."

Dipper smiled back.

"Yeah. It's a good chance."

…

The Shack Attic was all abuzz that night.

"Ooooh that sounds great guys! Thanks for asking for our help. No offense Wendy but you just don't wear makeup enough to know…"

"Yeah yeah OK I get you. But no blabbing about this to anyone, got it?"

"Cross my heart Wendy!"

The redhead looked menacingly at Candy and Grenda.

"You too! Swear it! Not a word!"

Candy backed up from Wendy's glare but smiled.

"No words from me about this makeover hee hee!"

And Grenda looked up to the ceiling with fierce determination, her hand making a cross over her heart.

"And I swear too, DAMN IT!" Wendy was relieved that Grenda kept the swearing to "damn".

Then Mabel stepped up. "Now sit down Wen. Dipper, you too! Team Mabel-Makeup is gonna work our magic! Girls: I'll be right back, gotta go visit Stan's…dirty laundry…"

Wendy and Dipper looked at each other with _very_ worried faces.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The door alarm!

The night shift nurse dropped her romance novel on the desk and swiveled her chair to the webcam monitor: _West door number three was open! _She mouse clicked to the outer West cam, and sure enough, an old man in a wheelchair was pushing himself along as fast as he can towards the forest, wheelchair weaving a crooked but quick path. Was that old man Aviles, off his medicine again? She grabbed the public address microphone.

"Security! West door number three! Mr. Aviles or maybe Duncan, AWOL!"

Security responded, calling her cell phone. She answered on speaker.

"We're on it!"

She hung up the phone and returned to the monitor. The old man made it to the forest and disappeared into the moonless night but no matter, the two security guards could out run him and catch him soon. The webcam showed them heading towards the forest at a dead run, no more than two or three hundred feet behind the old geezer.

_Third time this summer!_

…

The crowbar wouldn't work as easy as it did on the West door: the East door entrance was not only locked, there was a chain across the door handles.

Damn! Wendy slipped the crowbar in between the handle and chain and then looking around one more time, slowly began to pry it backwards.

The handle suddenly snapped, and went flying past her before she could react.

"Ow!" Wendy turned around. An old man was holding his head where the flying metal door handle struck him. It was too dark to see if there was any blood. Wendy would know that voice anywhere, pain or not.

"Oh! Sorry Dipper! I didn't expect you to meet me here so soon."

He whispered back "I'm OK. Let's hurry!"

Then she turned back to the door. Now she only had to get the door itself open, now that the chain was off one side.

"Wendy, hurry!"

"OK, OK already! Hold your catheter!"

She slipped the crowbar between the electric sliding doors, and slowly pushed them apart.

"Hope there isn't a damn sensor here too! The less we open them the less chance we have of triggering one if it's there. Sideways dude. Go in sideways." She nodded for Dipper to go in first, who easily slipped in sideways through what must have been 18 inches, although he snagged his bathrobe. Then Wendy turned sideways and slipped in between the doors too, but with effort. Dipper blushed as he saw her boobs get squished a little as she forced her way through.

"Ow. Damn doors." But she made it in without any new alarms. Now they lowered their whispers even more softly. She got behind him and gently pushed.

"Lead the way Dipper."

"But…I don't know where the delivery room was. Is. You do, right?"

"Oh yeah, right. Follow me."

There was still a little light reflected from some overhead lamp around the hallway corner somewhere, but not much. They could make out the hallway and doors on the left and right, and could smell dust, a LOT of dust. They could hear distant sounds like a door closing on the other side of the building, but it was a distant echo.

Wendy was brave, but now as they came to a hallway intersection, with a large double door on the right side she began to slow down and then stopped. Dipper noticed her breathing became quick and shallow as they stood there.

"Wendy…are you…OK?"

She nodded, saying nothing, then she grabbed his hand and slowly began pulling him.

_Her grip is strong…but…she is scared!_

He squeezed back. His emotions were mixed.

_We're holding hands! But…I want to comfort her and let her know it will be OK._

"I'm right here Wendy. Just get us there and I'll do the rest."

"Thanks man. I think we are there. Those doors…"

Dipper let go of her hand and walked in front of her, and across the hallway to the doors.

He pushed them open, looked inside and then looking back at Wendy he nodded and waved her forward to join him.

She slowly walked up behind him and placed her hands on his back.

_I must be brave for her! I'll prove her trust in me was the right thing._ They walked into the delivery room.

It was darker in the room than in the hallway, there were no lights at all. Wendy used her cellphone, its dim white light showing only a small circle of view at a time. She slowly panned across the room.

There was an ultrasound machine. There was a heartbeat monitor. An old chair with cobwebs. Then…the delivery table.

It was unmistakable: the stirrups at one end, and the gurney rails on either side. Wendy kept staring…and staring…

"Wendy…are you OK?"

**_Please take the children to the waiting area! They are not allowed in here!_**

**_Wendy! Bring your brothers! NOW!_**

Dipper could see Wendy start to shiver.

**_Mommy? I wanna stay with you! Mommy?_**

**_Wendy, come, now!_**

**_Daddy? Is mommy gonna be OK?_**

Dipper saw a tear drop sparkle in the dim light of the phone as it dropped from her cheek onto the cold tile floor.

"Wendy. Wendy listen to me. Shut the light off."

She just kept staring at the stirrups.

"Wendy! Please! Shut the light off!"

"Huh? What? Why?"

"Trust me on this OK?"

Wendy turned and stared at Dipper. "Oh. Right, sorry man."

She shut off the light. Now they were in darkness.

"What's the plan man?"

"We need to give her an opportunity…to …appear. If she is here."

"Ah right. Kay man."

As they stood there in the dark, straining their eyes and ears, Dipper felt her search for and hold his hand again. He could feel himself blush again, but held her hand firmly. He could tell she was shaking a little, and her hand seemed cool.

"Mom?"

"Hush. We have to be quiet."

"Sorry."

They stood in the dark, holding hands. Nothing.

"Wendy, try touching the table thing. The..."

"The stirrups?"

"Uh yeah, the stirrups, or even the table. Let her know you're here."

Wendy let go of Dipper's hands and touched both stirrups with her hands.

"They're cold."

"Try calling her again."

She hesitated but stood between the stirrups, and holding one in each hand, looked up in the dark, eyes opened then closed.

"Mom? Mother? Are you…here?"

They stood in silence. Nothing.

Dipper spoke up again.

"Maybe we need to check out the other maternity rooms. Maybe she didn't …die…in here."

"OK"

Wendy grabbed his hand again and they walked out of the double doors and back into the relatively lit up hallway. They opened the first door they came too.

This one had a window to the outside. It had drawn curtains but enough light came in from the outside parking lot lamps that they could see without her cell phone.

There was an old bed, sheets missing, and a stained mattress. Wendy walked up to it and touched it.

"Mom?"

Nothing.

She walked up to the window, and drew back the curtains an inch and peeked outside.

There were the security guards talking to the nurse, She had a clipboard and was quite animated as she was talking to them and then pointing to the clipboard. They walked back to the West door.

"We may be running out of time Dipper."

"OK a few more rooms then we bail."

They went to the next room. Then the next. And then next.

…

Dipper washed his face again with soap and water then growled.

"What a hassle!"

"You have to use remover broseph! Here."

"Now you tell me."  
"You didn't give me a chance."

"Sorry Dipper."

Dipper and Mabel turned to Wendy.

"No, no, no I am the one who is sorry Wendy. I don't know what I am missing, but we'll find her. One way or another we'll find her."

"Thanks for going through a hassle."

"No Wendy it isn't…I didn't mean it like that."

"I know."

Mabel walked up to Wendy and placed a concerned hand on her shoulder as the redhead was bent over sitting on Dipper's bed, her head in her hands.

"Wendy…forgive me for…what if…what if you can't find her ghost, because…she isn't a ghost?"

Wendy looked up.

"I did think about that…and if it is true, then I am a little happy because…she is in heaven? But…"

"It's OK Wendy. It's OK to be a little selfish, to want to see your mom again."

Tears began falling from her face again, and Mabel sat on the bed next to her.

Dipper wiped his face with a towel and then sat down on the other side of her. The twins wrapped their arms around her. Dipper lay his head on her shoulder as he hugged her.

"We'll find her Wendy."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Dipper, maybe you shouldn't. I mean, it may…be…too _hard_ on her. Until this came up I have never seen her so sad, and …well, she just hasn't been herself. This might push her over the edge, ya know?"

Dipper looked up from the town map.

"What? My sister actually telling me to _NOT _do something?"

Mabel looked down and shuffled her feet, then turned to the side and picked up Waddles, who gave a soft, contended squeal, and sniffed his friend's nose with affection. She smiled, then set him down and faced her brother again, now with determination.

"Hey, you can go there yourself you know, without even bringing it up to her. Just you and me go, Mystery Twins!"

Dipper smiled. **_Maybe she is right about Wendy's feelings. I don't want to make her any sadder than I have to, to find her mom._**

"Hmmmm OK. You got a point. Let's go." He stood up and then folded the map and stuffed it into his back pocket.

Having descended downstairs, the siblings saw Wendy behind the counter.

"Hey dorks."

"Heeeeeey Wendy. We're…uhhhhh..."

Dipper cut her off quickly.

"We're just going…to…Greasey's diner, to… meet Grenda and Candy." He pushed Mabel towards the door. "Don't work too hard."

"Uh…OK." Wendy looked puzzled.

Once outside, the twins began a dead run down the road away from The Shack.

…

The bright sunlight almost made the cemetery seem like a park, with green, green grass, blue skies and green forest as the backdrop for the single large mausoleum and many tombstones. The twins each took a row of graves and began walking down between them, reading the names. When they got to the end of the row, they would step further up the hill to the next two rows and walk between them back in the opposite direction. This way they could cover two rows of tombstones and headstones at a time.

Mabel started off brave as she looked for the name of _Corduroy_, but as she came across old, old graves from the 1800's, and saw how short people's lives were back then, she began to feel sorry for them.

_Oh my gaw…six months old? One year old? Two? The poor babies!_

Dipper heard his sister start sniffing and watched her rubbing her eyes.

"Mabel? You OK?"

"Oh yeah, fine brobro. You just make sure you don't miss her."

He resumed his search as she did too.

There wasn't a single _Corduroy _grave.

…

As they walked back towards The Shack Dipper took off his pine tree hat and scratched his head.

"We're gonna have to ask her Mabel. Maybe her mom was cremated?"

"Oh you're right Dippington. I'll make sure there's a box of tissues on the counter."

Dipper took a deep breath and put his hat back on, and exhaled with resignation.

…

The twins approached Wendy at the counter. Dipper spoke first.

"Wendy…uh just wanted to give you an update, you know, about…your mom."

"Really? An update?" The redhead sat up with wide eyes. She even smiled.

"Well uh, kind of. But it leads to a question." Mabel nodded after every one of her brother's sentence.

"OK, shoot!"

The twins looked at each other then back at her.

"Mabel and I, we thought…maybe we should check out the cemetery. So…we did."

Wendy sat down with a plop and looked down. Then it seemed like realization came over her expression.

"Yeaaaahhhh. Yeah!" She looked back up at the twins. "Did you…" now her confidence faded again. "Did you find her?"

"No. Wendy, we didn't even find her grave."

The redhead looked confused again. "Really? Any Corduroy grave at all?"

Mabel now had confidence to join the conversation, now that she saw her older friend wasn't going to …_lose it._ She shook her head. "None."

Wendy looked down again. "But…oh. Maybe she was cremated." She looked up.

Mabel turned to Dipper.

"How can we find out?"

But Wendy answered. "The Valentino Funeral Home!" She pulled out her cell phone.

…

"Hey Mrs. Valentino. How are you?"

"Oh hi Wendy! And please, call me Janice. You know, Robbie still talks about you all the time!"

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Really, that is uh…nice. Uh Janice, listen, I have a favor to ask. "

"Sure sweetie, what is it?"

"Well…do you happen to know the history, or at least how I can look up the history of…my…moms…death? Was she cremated?"

"Oh sweetheart, I knew you would want to know more someday, but death? Didn't your father tell you anything?"

"Uh…no. We never wanted to ask him because it made him…upset."

"Well of course, I understand sweetheart. But your mother isn't dead."

"She ISN'T?" Wendy nearly dropped the phone. Mabel and Dipper both squeezed in next to Wendy's ear to listen in, so Wendy put the call on speaker.

"Why no dearie. She is at the convalescent home. She's been in a coma all these years."

Wendy fainted.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_Everything is gonna be OK. Daddy is holding me in his strong arms. I'm safe. I'm loved._

She turned to the side and snuggled against his chest, and reached for his arms to hold him back,

_His strong noodle arms. NOODLE?_

Wendy opened her eyes and looked down at the small arms that were holding her. Then she turned to look behind her.

"Are you OK Wendy? Did you hit your head?" The Pines boy had a strong blush in his cheeks. To the side was Mabel, smiling. She looked back at the boy.

"Dip…Dipper?" She held up a hand to rub the back of her head.

She had been sitting with her back to Dipper, both of them sitting on the floor behind the counter, with him leaning against the back wall.

_I…woke up in his arms? How did I wake up in his arms?_

_What happened?_ She stood up, and as he loosened his arms from around her he stood up too, glancing at his sister and then with head down but eyes looking up he asked Wendy again, playing with his hands.

"You fainted. I think I saw you hit your head against the chair as you collapsed. Is your head OK?"

"Uh yeah man." There was a faint squawking from the cell phone on the floor. Wendy picked it up.

"Janice? Are you still there?"

"Yes sweetie, are you OK? I heard a loud clanking noise then I heard people shouting."

"Uh yeah, I dropped the phone, sorry."

"Why don't you come over dearie and we'll talk."

"Thanks. I'd appreciate that. Be over in a few."

…

The gravel crunched under her boots as Wendy walked down the road towards the Valentino Funeral Home, a twin on each side of her. The siblings were afraid she may faint again and so kept close to her just in case. It was silent for the first quarter mile.

**_I kinda… wanna ask him why he…how did he come to …well…I guess he was just trying to revive me…but…I wonder what he thinks about me trying to snuggle with him before I woke up?_** She couldn't look Dipper in the eyes. And Dipper could tell something was wrong, something more than had ever happened before.

**_She is afraid…I have never seen her afraid of anything…but I guess the news, this kind of a big shock has made her…become afraid of …hoping?_**

Then Mabel broke the silence.

"Wendy, this is…great news! Isn't it?"

Wendy kept walking and kicked a stone. Then she gave a big sigh.

"It explains a lot. But…I thought she died from blood loss."

Dipper reached out and held Wendy's hand, gently and firmly. She let him hold her hand.

"Wendy…blood loss can cause…brain damage. She may be alive, but your mom…"

"I know. She may not be there anymore. Brain dead. A…vegetable."

Silence returned as the trio walked down the road.

But ever hopeful Mabel didn't give up. A few minutes later she chimed in again.

"But people wake up from comas sometimes don't they? Even after years, huh?"

Dipper smiled at his sister and nodded.

"Yeah, sometimes."

Wendy kept looking at the ground as she walked but agreed.

"Sometimes."

**_Why did dad tell us that she was gone? Why didn't he ever take us to visit her? Why didn't…_**

Now she kicked a particularly large stone for a good thirty or forty yards.

Dipper let go of her hand as she put her whole body into that kick. Then she clenched her fists, arms straight down and with eyes closed tightly she looked up and yelled.

"_WHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYY? AHHHHHHHHHHH!_"

The twins looked at one another and kept walking. Again Mabel spoke up.

"That's it Wendy, let it out!"

Then Dipper braved her anger.

"Wendy, maybe Mrs. Valentino can answer why. She seems to know what happened. Maybe she will tell you what your dad was afraid to say."

Wendy looked at Dipper with clenched teeth.

"My dad isn't afraid of _ANYTHING_."

"Sorry Wendy! I mean well…not afraid but…he …uh…"

Wendy's look softened, then she gently touched his shoulder.

"It's OK man, I know what you mean. Sorry about that."

He smiled. "That's OK Wendy, you are going through a lot right now, it's a lot to take in and…I understand. It's OK."

**_He is so understanding and mature for being twelve! I'm lucky to have him as a friend. Him …and Mabel._**

…

The trio arrived at the funeral home, and Janice was on the porch waiting for them.

"Hello Wendy, hi kids! Come on in, I have hot tea, iced tea, lemonade and spaghetti with meatballs! Or would you prefer an antipasto salad?"

The twins were drooling.

"All of the above please!"

"Haha! Fine, all it is!" Then Janice Valentino looked up from the kids back at Wendy. "Food is one of the best things in life! It's good to be alive, isn't it?"

Wendy smiled, then frowned as she looked down. "Yeah, if you can call it living."

Janice took Wendy's hand. "Oh I know dearie, she hasn't been able to talk to you, but…"and she pulled Wendy over to the table and sat her down in one of the colonial wooden chairs, and sat down next to her. "…but she is still your mom. " And she patted her hand and smiled, trying to encourage her.

Mabel brought over a plate of spaghetti . "Why thank you Mabel. You're such a big helper!"

"Well after you had me bring Robbie spaghetti last time I learned where everything was in the kitchen."

"Thank you sweetie. Now go ahead and serve yourself, and your brother."

Dipper and Mabel were by the stove, negotiating how many meatballs to put on Dipper's plate, as Janice continued, but now in a lowered, almost hushed voice, and still holding Wendy's hand.

"You're lucky to have such good friends."

Wendy looked over at the twins by the stove and smiled.

"Yeah, they are amazing. It was Dipper who searched everywhere for my mom…"

"Really? Well, he was a baby too when Josh was born, so he never got a chance to know your mother. But you did."

Wendy looked down and sighed. "I kinda remember her but…I missed her soooo much, and never got to talk to her…during the most important part of my life, growing up was…well, you know my family."

"Yes sweetie, I do, and they did the right thing you know."

Wendy stood up, angry, the chair sliding back with a squeak, the clenched jaw and clenched hands returning. The twins stopped talking and looked back at her.

"The right thing by never letting me see my mom? By not telling me the truth? **_NO! IT WASN'T RIGHT!_**"

Janice reached out and reclaimed Wendy's hand, and gently but firmly pulled her back down to the chair.

"Oh sweetie, when we lose someone, they would want us to move_ on_ with our lives, to live! They would not want us mourning forever, crying our life away. Your mom would be proud that her family moved on and lived life, even if it was without her. Believe me, I knew your mom and she would have."

The twins brought salad and spaghetti to the table, and sitting down started eating. Janice got up and walked to the fridge. "What would you like to drink? Iced tea? Lemonade? Pitt Cola? Martini?" The last she said with a smile and a wink.

Wendy thought about it. "Yeah, a martini. A double. I could really use it right now."

Without hesitation Janice walked to the living room and slid open a polished wooden panel in front of one of the bureaus. Inside was a liquor cabinet. She actually made the drink!

The twins were agape as they watched Mrs. Valentino walk back to the kitchen and serve a fifteen year old a drink. Dipper almost choked on a noodle.

"There are times in a girl's life when she needs a good stiff drink, and this is one of them." And with that Janice placed the crystal tumbler glass in front of the redhead. Wendy picked it up without hesitation, and took a large gulp.

"Oh no! Sip it sweetie! Sip it!"

Wendy slammed the tumbler down on the table, and coughed and choked, her eyes watering and cheeks flushed as the alcohol burned her throat. She could feel the booze warm her tummy as she regained her breath and composure.

"Wow! Hooboy."

"There. OK now?"

Wendy nodded at Janice.

"Yeah, I think so." She coughed again.

Janice cleared her throat and returned to the subject.

"Ah-hem. Now, eat your spaghetti, you shouldn't drink on an empty stomach. Now let's see…where should we begin? What do you want to know first? What did your father tell you?"

Wendy looked at Janice with incredulity. She had just put a big meatball in her mouth.

"Ummm, you tolmmmeeee doo eat." (_munch,_ _gulp_)

"Don't talk with your mouth full sweetie."

Wendy rolled her eyes. Then Janice laughed.

"Haha! You see? That is what it would have been like with your mom. Teenagers hate their parents. Believe me, I _know_. Now, your mother was beautiful, and had _amazing_ patience…"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Janice thought she had timed it right. _**She seems to be more relaxed now, I think the drink worked.**_

"Well dearie, are you ready?"

Wendy stood up, and wiped her mouth on her plaid shirt sleeve, then nodded, looking up.

"Hella! Let's go!" She turned around, adjusted her fur lined hat, and began marching towards the door.

"Mom! I'm coming!"

Dipper and Mabel each took a side by the tall redhead and Dipper rushed forward to open the door for her. Janice followed behind with the car keys.

"Seat belts everyone! We don't want anyone dearly departing prematurely haha!"

"Shotgun!" Wendy shouted, and got in the front of the black family station wagon, which was hard to tell apart from the funeral home hearse.

Dipper and Mabel got in the back, and then Mrs. Valentino backed up the car and then put it in forward gear and started down the road.

The twins looked around and then at each other. Mabel held her nose and then whispered.

"Ewww….it still kinda smells like…like…"

Janice looked up in the rear view mirror, smiling.

"Like dead people? Why of course dearie. This car follows the hearse carrying the grieving of the deceased. You are a happy lot, a nice change from the usual passengers." And she giggled.

…

They arrived at the Badger Convalescent Home. Janice put the car in park but Wendy already had her seatbelt off and practically jumped out of the car. The twins had to hurry to catch up with the tall girl's stride. Janice could barely keep up.

The crew rushed into the lobby, and the same nurse looked up with surprise at the kids, but then noticed Janice coming in behind them.

"Oh, Hi Janice. No one has died today."

"Oh I know, we're just visiting today."

"Visiting?" and then the nurse looked at the kids.

Wendy slammed her fist on the desk, shocking the nurse.

"YES! I want to see MY MOM! Mrs. Corduroy?"

The Nurses mouth dropped open, and then she tried to speak but nothing came out, until finally…

"Your _**mom?**_ Your mom is Fran Corduroy?"

Wendy nodded with determination, Janice nodded with a grin, and the twins just watched.

The nurse got up, and then swallowed. "Follow me."

The shiny white and waxed vinyl flooring echoed footsteps as they all made their way past open doors, each a room with a television blaring for almost deaf occupants, or were dark with someone snoring, or someone exiting a bathroom, toilet flushing. Then they came to the last room. The door was closed.

The nurse turned around.

"Now, I haven't ever seen you here to visit, so I don't think you know what she…she looks like. Remember, she has been bedridden for eight years, and…"

Wendy pushed her out of the way and grabbed the door handle, and stormed into the room, the twins behind her.

…

"Mommy, how much longer before my brother comes?"

The seven year old's mother laughed.

"Very soon! Maybe three weeks."

"But how do you know?" The little freckled girl with braided red pigtails looked up with a questioning face to her mother's calm and smiling face, short, shining hair framing her kind and dark brown eyes.

"Because he is already trying to _**oof!**_ Kick his way out haha! Here, feel…"

The mother gently guided her daughter's head and placed it against her pregnant tummy. The little girls eyes went from side to side as she listened and then…

"Ow! He kicked me!" She jerked her head back.

"Haha! You see? He is trying to come out! Very soon Wendy, very soon your brother will be here."

…

The room was dark, with only a sliver of sunlight showing between the drawn curtains. Wendy rushed to the side of the bed as the nurse went to the window and drew back the curtains.

As Wendy looked down at the face in the bed she thought she saw a flinch in the closed eyelids as the sunlight washed over the pale, thin face.

"She moved! Her eyes! Is she…?"

The nurse turned around from the window.

"Reflexes. Here, I'll show you."

The twins and Wendy looked confused as the nurse went to a table drawer and pulled out something in a sterile plastic bag, and then opened it, withdrawing a small square yellow sponge on what looked like a lollipop stick. She then turned on the facet at the sink and passed the sponge under the water, soaking it. She shut off the water and walked to the bedside.

"Here. Hold the wet sponge to her mouth. What you will see is reflex."

Wendy, still confused, grasped the sponge stick from the nurse and then held it up to the cracked and dry looking lips.

The patient's mouth puckered and sucked at the sponge!

"You see? She isn't consciously doing it. Her nervous system is."

Wendy didn't believe it.

"Mom? Mom? It's me, Wendy. It's Wendy mom! Mom?"

The nurse sighed.

"She can't hear you dear. I'm sorry but she is in a coma." The nurse walked to the other side of the bed. She took a pocket penlight out of her dress pocket and then shocked Wendy with what she did next.

With one hand the nurse gently touched and pulled back an eyelid, and with the other shined the penlight bean into her exposed eye.

"Hey! What are you doing to my mom?"

The nurse then checked the other eye without even looking up.

"I am checking her other reflexes dear. I do this every day."

Janice touched Wendy's arm.

"Gwendolyn, let's let the nurse do her work, and then we…I mean you…can spend some private time with your mother. OK?"

Wendy glanced at Janice and then back up at the nurse. _**I know you were there back then. I know it was you!**_

"Uh…OK." The twins each took an arm and slowly and gently stepped Wendy back away from the bed.

They watched as the nurse grasped the patients arm and moved it around, then she lifted the leg and again moved it in slowly gyrating circles. Then she walked over to the other side where Wendy had been standing earlier, and repeated the arm and leg movements. She lifted the bed sheet and checked the catheter and other tubes and wires connected to her and then pulled the sheet back down. Wendy swallowed as she watch the almost disrespectful way her mother was administered.

Then the nurse turned to the party. "Visiting hours end in 2 hours." And she left.

Janice turned to Wendy and the twins. "Do you want me to wait and then give you a ride home? Or are you going to walk home? "

Wendy slowly walked back to the bedside. "Walk home." Then she turned to Janice. "Thanks Mrs. Valentino. I mean Janice. Thanks a lot." And she turned back to face her mother.

The twins nodded too . Dipper spoke up.

"We'll get her home Mrs. Valentino. Thanks again."

"You're welcome dearies. Bye."

And she left too.

…

Dipper pulled up a chair next to the bed, and Wendy sat down. She reached out and searched for her mother's hand under the sheet, and found it: cool, not cold, but very soft, her skin softer than silk, softer than anything.

She looked back up to the person laying in the bed. She was still struggling with the realization that the person in front of her was her mother.

The hair was still brown but with a gray hair here and there on the sides. Her eyebrows looked pleading, almost in pain. The skin still smooth but with a hint of wrinkles by the eyes.

"Mom? Mom?"

Wendy stood up and reached over to brush her mother's hair to the side. Then she leaned over and kissed her mother on the forehead.

"Mom? It's Wendy mom. Wendy."

Now she lifted the cool hand up and held it with both hands.

"Sorry…I…haven't visited mom, but dad…well…he never told me. I thought you…"

Dipper saw a teardrop fall onto the bedsheet. He gently held her arm to let her know he was there.

Mabel went to the other side and held an arm too.

Wendy wiped her nose and eyes with a green plaid sleeve, and sniffed.

"Anyway…nothing is going to stop me visiting you now. I'm going to see you every day mom."

And she leaned over and kissed her mom again, this time on the lips.

_**She is so cool.**_ She reached over and felt the side of her neck. _**Still warm there.**_

Wendy let go of her mother's hand and then walked over to the room closet, and took out a blanket.

She walked back to the bed and spread it out, throwing it across the bed. Mabel went to the other side and pulled, then straightened out the blanket on her side, as Wendy pulled it up to her mother's neck, tucking her in. Then Wendy turned and spoke to Dipper and Mabel.

"Guys, would you mind giving me and mom a few minutes alone together?" Dipper nodded.

"Sure Wendy. We'll be outside." He and Mabel left, closing the door behind them.

Wendy turned back to her mother. Then her lips started to tremble and her eyes watered.

"Why mom? _**WHY?**_"

She grabbed her mother's hand again, and then shaking it pressed it against the bed, up and down, up and down.

"_**Why?!"**_

She wiped her nose again and sniffed, blinking back tears.

"Why couldn't you come back? What happened? Can you hear me mom? _**MOM? **_You left me alone! Alone with the boys, alone with dad…I couldn't take your place! I tried but…I just couldn't! I _**needed**_ you! I needed to talk to you, to ask you things…but you didn't come back! _**Why? **_"

She threw down her mother's hand against the bed, and walked to the other side. She leaned in close to her ear and shouted.

"Can you hear me? _**Mom!**_ I needed you, but you were gone! You were here the whole time! And dad. Dad! He never _**told **_me! _**Why?"**_

She leaned up and then leaned back down, and got in her mother's face.

"_**WHY? **_Can you hear me? Huh? Can you? _**MOM!**_ I'm talkin' to you! You _**hear**_ me? You hear me?"

She threw herself across her mother's body, across the bed and buried her face in her mother's tummy, hugging her through the sheets and blanket. Sobbing she spoke much softer now.

"Mother?" She looked up and turned her head to look at her mother's face.

"Mom? Please. I need you. _**Please**_ come back. _**Please?**_" She buried her face in the blanket again and cried.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Mommy? It's time, isn't it? Are you gonna be ok?"

"Yes baby girl, but you might see mommy hurting a little bit, but it's OK, I hurt a little when you were born and I was ok after, this will be the same." And she kissed the red hair on top of the little freckled faced girl. Wendy smiled and held her mom's hand, but then another contraction hit and her mother withdrew the hand to hold her stomach. "Ow!"

"Mommy?" Wendy was becoming a little frightened. Still holding her mother's hand she turned her head around. She let loose with all her Corduroy voice. "DADDY!"

Her mother turned back to her again and managed a smile but with pained eyebrows pleading.

"Your brother is really kicking hard to get out honey!"

Manly Dan appeared in the doorway, the truck warming up outside as he yelled.

"Come on kids! Everyone in the truck!" The kids jumped at their dad's orders.

…

Wendy stopped crying. She wiped her face with the bedsheet and sniffed.

Then with a sudden look of determination she stood up and walked to the foot of the bed and grabbed the clipboard there. She began reading, flipping the pages.

"It's gotta be here…they must have…_ah_! Pay dirt!"

_EEG: Pronounced Delta and Theta consistent with comatose condition, Alpha and Beta absent._

_Presence of Delta/Theta denies declaration of brain death, patient must be maintained as there is small potential for recovery but with some functional handicap. No ETA for reaching consciousness._

Wendy looked up at her mother and smiled.

_**You're still in there, mom!**_

…

"OW!" Wendy had come charging out of the room and the door bashed into the side of Dipper's head, as he was trying to eavesdrop when he started hearing Wendy talking to herself.

"Oh! Sorry Dipper!" She tasseled his hair, now exposed since the door knocked his pine tree hat off onto the waxed tile floor.

"That's OK Wendy…" He noticed the clipboard in her hand. She held it out to him.

"Dipper, tell me that this says what I hope it says…"

His eyebrows went up and his mouth opened a little as he wondered what she meant and he took the clipboard from her. He lifted the pages one by one as he read and then looked up at her, but he wasn't smiling.

"Wendy, we can't get our hopes up…"

"She still has brainwaves man!"  
"Yeah but she may still…"

"How can we wake her up?"

Dipper looked at his sister and she put her hand to her chin and looked down to the floor, her virtual thinking cap on and buzzing.

Dipper spoke first.

"Well your voice should have been familiar but it sounded like even with shouting she didn't respond, right?" and he looked apologetically at Wendy. "Sorry but it wasn't hard to hear you yelling there for a while."

"S'OK man. You're right, no response to my…shouting."

Mabel turned around and pointed at Dipper.

"Dipper! You told me one time that the nose bone is directly connected to the brain bone, or something like that!"

Dipper smiled. "Yeah, the olfactory sense is a one neuron connection to the brain. The other senses go through multiple connections. Your point?"

"Have her smell Wendy!"

Wendy and Dipper looked at each other, then back at Mabel. Then Wendy looked confused as she asked.

"Uh…Mabel, great idea but…how do we get her to smell me? And uh…" and the redhead blushed as she glanced at Dipper from the corner of her eye, her left hand rubbing her right arm. "…uh what part of me should she smell?"

Mabel wiggled her eyebrows. "Do you still have any of your old kiddie clothes or baby blanket?"

Then Dipper chimed in. "Or maybe your hat!"

Wendy took off her fur lined hat and examined it, turning it in her hands and grinned.

"Hmmm yeah. It's easy to try so why not? I'll try anything to get my mom back!"

And all three went back into the room.


	9. Chapter 9

"I.V. , STAT!"

"BP 205 over 90!"

"Why is she so pale nurse? She wasn't like this with the other three births."

"Daddy? Is mommy going to be OK?"

"Mr. Corduroy, please, take your children to the waiting room. Now. Please!"

Wendy didn't let go of her mother's hand, it was yanked from her, and the gurney bearing her mother wheeled away down the hall and around the corner.

"Mommy!"

…

The window light cast a slanted beam on the bed, and Wendy could see the strands of white hairs on her mother's temple more clearly now.

She walked up to the bedside, with the twins on either side of her, ready for anything. Dipper looked up at the tall redhead.

_**If she needs me, I'll be here!**_

Mabel crossed her fingers.

_**Please let this work! **_Then her brother spoke.

"Wendy, ruffle the inner lining so as to release any scent."

Wendy tuned to him and nodded, and then took off her hat and then holding it in her right hand she rubbed the fur inside with her left. She turned the hat inside out and then slowly held it out over her mother's face.

"Sorry mom but…take a good whiff!"

…

Fran Corduroy blinked against the harsh hospital lights blazing down on her, and the contractions made the brightness painful. But more painful was feeling her only daughter's hand being yanked from her own. As a mother she wanted to go back to Wendy, to hold her and tell her not to cry, that everything will be alright.

The gurney wheels vibration shook her and she wished everything would be still, so she could concentrate on her labor and breathing, but then a bump would startle her and she would sharply inhale. She lifted her hand to her face, and inhaled again to smell her daughter…_**Wendy. It will be alright sweetheart…**_

_**...**_

"Mom?" Wendy wafted the inside out hat across her mother's nose.

The twins stared. Wendy watched.

"Mom?" Wendy gently placed her left hand across her mother's cheek to caress it, and felt that the soft skin was cool to the touch.

Wendy looked down. Dipper could see a teardrop fall, glinting in the window light.

Mabel sadly looked at the frowning freckled face. Then she turned to look at Fran. Wendy had relaxed and let the hat cover her mother's face completely while she was crying. Mabel reached over and gently pulled Wendy's hand away.

Fran blinked.

At first Mabel was so shocked she couldn't speak.

"Uh…uh…reflex? Reflex Wendy? _**Reflex?**_"

Wendy and Dipper looked at Mabel. She was pointing at Fran's face. They looked.

Fran's mouth opened. The woman gasped for breath.

"Mom? _**MOM!**_"

Wendy cupped her mother's face. Fran blinked again then her eyes scrunched tightly. Then with a soft rasp she _**spoke**_!

"So… bright…"

"_**MOM!**_" Wendy threw herself over her mother and wrapped her arms around her mother's neck and started kissing her cheek again and again. "Oh Mom!"

Mabel started crying but with a smile, but then Dipper noticed the woman trying to lift her arms under the sheets.

"Mabel! Pull back the sheets!"

The twins pulled back the covers and Fran slowly lifted her arms around her daughter.

"Wen…dy?"

"Oh mom! Oh mom, mom I love you! I love you mom!"

The weak patient smiled and turned her head slightly, and kissed her daughter's cheek through thick red hair.

"Wendy? You…how did you…my goodness is that really you? How did you get so big?" and she giggled.

Then Wendy pulled back and giggled too.

"It is me mom! It's been eight years! I've grown! You were in a coma!"

Fran tried to lift her head but then closed her eyes and her head plopped back down in the pillow.

"Ugh…so …weak."

"It's OK mom! I's OK just rest. Just rest."

"But where…where is my baby?"

"Mom, your baby is eight years old now and chopping down trees."

Fran smiled and closed her eyes. Then opened them again. Wendy could see the love in her brown eyes. Her mother lifted a hand to Wendy's cheek.

"You're so beautiful Wendy."

"Yes she…she is." And Dipper then looked down quickly. Fran turned to look at the young man.

"And who are you?" Fran turned to her daughter. "I think you have an admirer."

Wendy smiled at Dipper then turned to her mother.

"I know mom, but he is also my hero. He saved you. He brought you back."

Then Wendy realized the truth of what she just said. She let go of her mother and walked around the bed to the other side.

"Thank you Dipper." She leaned over and picked him up.

"Whoa! Wendy, you don't have to thank…" He couldn't finish, because Wendy placed her lips firmly against his and held him tightly. He was shocked, and then melted.

_**Her lips…her…lips…**_Dipper felt his face blush bright red. _**It's a good thing she is holding me or I would collapse on the floor…**_

"_Muwaaah_!" She leaned back and hugged him tighter, twisting both of them back and forth from side to side. Mabel watched with giggles, her hands clasped together like she was praying. She covered her face but peeked in between her fingers. _**Oh my gosh!**_

"Thank you Dipper. Thank you thank you thank you!"

"Awwww gee…you're Welcome Wendy. You know I would do anything for you."

Wendy slowly let him down and Dipper swayed for a moment as he got his land legs back.

He adjusted his hat and then looked up to see Wendy smiling at him. She leaned down and kissed the top of his hat covered head.

"I know you would. I can't thank you enough. But I will try." And she winked at him. Dipper didn't know what she was thinking, but what he was thinking made him blush all over again. To divert attention from himself he turned back to Fran.

"Welcome back Mrs. Corduroy." And he patted the woman's hand.

"From what my daughter says, I owe you thanks too young man. Uh…_**Dipper**_."

…

The next few days were like New Years, Christmas and Birthdays all rolled up into one.

Mabel loved hearing everyone bringing Fran up to date with what happened the past eight years, and as a result she got to hear not only the good but the bad of what Wendy and her brothers had been up to.

Everyone in town came to the Corduroy home, bringing gifts and food and well wishes. Fran reviled in seeing how her children had grown, and yet how her husband was just the same and hadn't changed a bit.

But the change that came over Manly Dan was the biggest change of all. He was now friendly to everyone, smiling all the time, and laughing at everything. Even when he found out for the first time from the visiting sheriff that it was his eldest son who accidentally dropped his expensive chainsaw in the river he laughed it off and rubbed the tousled red hair of the boy who smiled but cringed, expecting a whooping at any moment.

But Mabel suspected that Dipper's happiness exceeded Dan's. A day didn't go by without Wendy hugging and kissing her brother.

"Thank you Dipper! Thank you for giving my mother back to me." And she would give him a big sloppy kiss on the lips. No tongue, nothing like _**that**_, but to Dipper it was ecstasy all the same. So he made sure to visit Wendy and her family every day, and would come back with a dreamy smile.

One day when he was visiting he asked Wendy a question.

"Wendy, you know, I never heard from you what conclusion you reached after rethinking everything. What did you decide? About…whatever you were rethinking?"

The freckled redhead turned to him and smiled. She picked him up in her strong arms, and he yelped.

"_Yikes!_ Uh, OK."

She then sat down with him on her lap. He tried to appear casual as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She took off his cap, and then rubbed noses with him. Then she looked around to see if anyone was watching. Then she whispered.

"That nice things come in small packages." And she kissed him again.


End file.
